Domestic Violence and the Workplace

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

After I read the 137 page manifesto on Saturday night (May 24), I had
the most horrible and most realistic nightmare I've ever had. I couldn't stop
shaking. I was so thankful when I finally realized that what I had was just a
dream. But it isn't just a dream for victims, their families, and those who love them. It was real.

Absolutely #NOMORE. No more "warnings,"
no more excuses, no more by standing, no more silence, no more violence. No
more.

Monday, March 31, 2014

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM)! This year's campaign focuses on
healthy sexuality
and young people. Join us in spreading the word about #SAAM by participating in
the National Sexual Violence Resource Center's 30 Days of
SAAM Contest! Here's how:

Each day in April, post a
photo that reflects theday’s themefor your chance
to win a SAAM prize pack.Make sure to use the
hashtag #30DAYSOFSAAM and tag @NSVRC in your post.

Friday, March 21, 2014

As part of NO MORE week, on March 18, 2014 I was privileged to attend a first of it's kind meeting at the White House: a roundtable of business leaders and advocates called upon to discuss building public-private partnerships aimed at helping end domestic violence and sexual assault in the United States. The meeting served as an opportunity to share strategies and concrete steps companies can take to address violence in their workplaces and communities. During the gathering, we heard from several companies
that are working to improve the status quo, including Avon, Macy’s, Allstate,
Viacom, and Kaiser Permanente.

The outcome? Major corporations
joined forces to pledge millions of dollars in new commitments to
help end domestic violence and sexual assault as part of a groundbreaking effort
to increase private sector support of these urgent issues. For several of the
corporations this is their first, significant and public endeavor to support
domestic violence and sexual assault awareness, two issues that many
corporations have historically shied away from tackling.

The corporate commitments
announced this week to address domestic violence and sexual assault include:

Avon Foundation
for Women: Announced three
grants to create and disseminate three targeted prevention and
intervention training tools to help bystanders – families, friends and
strangers – recognize, respond and make appropriate referrals in
situations when partner violence, dating abuse or sexual assault are
suspected or observed.

Finn Partners: Committed to provide pro bono communications
and public relations counsel for the NO MORE symbol and movement.

GUESS?, Inc. /
GUESS Foundation: Announced an
investment to support the roll-out of Peace Over Violence’s annual sexual
violence awareness campaign, Denim Day. The commitment includes a donation
of $100,000, the participation of more than 400 stores under the GUESS?
Inc. umbrella including messaging in storefront windows, online and mobile
marketing, and print PSA’s in Vanity Fair, Marie Claire, Teen Vogue and
Lucky magazines.

Jazz
Pharmaceuticals: Announced a
donation to the NO MORE public awareness effort to end domestic violence
and sexual assault.

Mary Kay:Committed $1 million to the loveisrespect
text for help service that provides young people with resources and
support to have healthy dating relationships,
as well as $100,000 to support Break the Cycle’s, “NO MORE Silence: It’s
Time To Talk Day,” a nationwide parent-child engagement campaign to
prevent teen dating violence on Feb. 4, 2014.

USA Network: Committed to airing a 16-hour “NO MORE
Silence” marathon of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU) on
April 27, 2014 to commemorate National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention
Month. Throughout the marathon, which will be hosted by SVU cast members,
USA Network will air NO MORE PSAs, direct viewers to contact national help
resources and highlight NO MORE on social media.

Valeant
Pharmaceuticals: Pledged to donate a goal of $1
million from sales of its aesthetic injectable, Obagi, and dermatology
products to support the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence in
serving survivors of domestic violence and educating communities about
this issue. To date Valeant’s support has reached 19,000 women and enabled
NCADV to expand many of its initiatives.

Verizon Wireless: Committed $75,000 to support Break the
Cycle’s “It’s Time To Talk Day,” which included the creation of a teen
dating violence prevention PSA. Additionally, the spot will air across
Verizon’s FiOS platform throughout May 2014.

Viacom: Announced an
investment to produce and disseminate new, NO MORE PSAs, co-directed by Founder
& President of the Joyful Heart Foundation, Actress Mariska Hargitay and
Executive Vice President of Viacom Velocity Creative Content Solutions, Viacom
Music and Entertainment, Niels Schuurmans. The PSAs will air across a variety
of Viacom's networks.

NO MORE, a unifying
symbol for domestic violence and sexual assault, works to generate support and
resources to help domestic violence and sexual assault prevention organizations.
These organizations are partners of NO MORE:

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Join us for NO MORE Week - March 17 - 21, 2014 as we celebrate the one year anniversary of the launch of NO MORE! It's almost been one year since the launch of NO MORE! It's time to celebrate our one year anniversary, March 17th-21st, and more importantly, all of our supporters, partners, and allies who have come together to end domestic violence and sexual assault.Here are some ways you can take part: http://goo.gl/m1k8oP - we'd love to hear from you how you are saying NO MORE during NO MORE week!

Wednesday, May 08, 2013

In the midst of this picture of hope, already people are asking the question of the survivors of the horrors of Cleveland that they ask of victims/survivors of domestic violence: "Why didn't they just leave?"I cannot and will not speak for them. I am not them and have not been through what they have been through. Instead: I say NO MORE.And here is what I ask of you: I ask you to KNOW MORE, say NO MORE, share NO MORE, and ensure NO MORE. Visit www.nomore.org to learn MORE.

Wednesday, April 03, 2013

into the places we take for granted as safe—schools, stores, salons, or any workplace. Cosmopolitan investigates how relationship violence puts us all at risk…"

This is the introduction of an article appearing in the May 2013 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine (on shelves April 9, 2013). Are you surprised "Cosmo" is taking on this issue? To be honest...I was.

But then I was hopeful. Hopeful because they have a huge reading audience of young women...young women who are not going to hear these stories anywhere else...young women who are not going to get this information another way. Because "Cosmo" wrote about it, they will read it.

I'm excited that Cosmopolitan magazine is joining us in saying NO MORE. The stories of domestic violence they share are heartbreakingly difficult to read, but they must be read.

And I am hopeful that the tips we give to workplaces, co-workers and friends will be helpful and will perhaps change - or save - lives.

As we say in the article:

What you can be is an advocate: If your company doesn’t

have a policy, ask for one. Don’t wait for something bad to

happen in order to get a work-safety policy in place. Walk in to your manager armed with this article.

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About Me

Kim Wells is the Executive Director of the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (CAEPV), the only national nonprofit organization in the US founded by the business community to address domestic violence as a workplace issue. CAEPV (www.caepv.org) currently has employer members reaching over a million employees across the US with the message that domestic violence is "Everybody's Business."